Head bracket



Nov 7, 1933. c. c. Glu. E1' AL HEAD BRACKET Filed July 29, 1952 PatentedNov. 7, 1933 f HEAD BRACKET Charles C. Gill, Verne 2L. Julian, John W.vj'. Mcllwraith, and Charles F. Rutledge, Elwood,

Ind.,

assignors of one-hall?` to John W.v McIlwraith and one-half to Rutledge,both of Elwood, Ind.

Charles r F.

' Application July 29, 1 932. Serial No.- 625,792

9 claims'. (C1. 20-20) This invention relates to a head structure for anoverhead door and of the general character illustrated in the(zo-pending applications, Serial No. 498,628, flied Nov. 28, 193D,entitled, Flexible doors, and Serial No. 614,894, liled June 2, 1932,entitled Folding sectional door.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a head structure thatmay be economically and cheaply manufactured and-so arranged that it maybe readily adapted to different sized doors with but a minimumduplication of slightly dissimilar parts and whereby the maximum numberof parts is capable'of utilization with diierent sized doors.

Another object of the invention is to incor-- porate in theheadstructure an integral mounting for a pulley, the same beingassociated with a cable, in'turn connected tothe door andcounterbalancing associated therewith. l

The chief feature of the invention, in addition to the accomplishment ofthe foregoing objects, consists in the detailed construction of the headstructure and includedparts. Y

The full nature of the invention will be under stood from theaccompanying drawing and the following `description and claims:-

rIn the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side'elevation of one of the head structureembodying the invention, the full lines indicating parts arranged forone size of door and the dotted lines indicating similar parts arrangedfor a second size door.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line `2 2 oiFig. l ,and inthe direction of the arrows and showing thertrack. f.

Figs. 3 and 4 areelevational views taken at right angles of a part thatmay be associated with the portion of the head structure for adaptingsaid head structure to another size of door from a predetermined size ofdoor.

1n Figs. l and 2 of the drawing, 10 indicates a plate which isapproximately of triangularshape, the hypotenuse of which consists oftwo curves that merge with eachY other, the upper curve beingv generallyindicated by the numeral 11, while the lower is indicated by the numeral12, the former being inwardly directed and the lat-- ter being outwardlydirected. The lower end of As indicated in Fig. 2, a perpendicularflange 14,

extends from the side l5 at one end thereof, the side 15 being vinclinedor offset at 16 and terminating inV aV track portion 17 and a retainingwall portion 18.v The purpose ofthe inclination is tospace the trackportionfromthe back or side portion l15 so that the retainersfor theguide shoes or wheels that engage the track portions 14 and r1, or both,win be spaced. from l,the 69 sidewall so that the supportsfor the guidescan project beyond rthe rollers, shoes or guidesfor anchorage orretention of the same thereon without the supports and the anchorageengaging the trackside or back15. g l

As shown in the last two before mentioned applications the headstructure includes` afront vertical wall 14 which is interruptedintermediate its ends and terminates in a forwardly and upwardly curvedsocket forming portion 19. The zo top 20 of the socket is directedinwardly anddownwardly and isformedby a separate strap that includes acurved portion 21 and a'straight portion 22, the samelying parallel tothe portion-14 and terminating` as at 23 short of engagement with'theupwardly and rearwardly directed` grooved portion of the head structureforming an opening therebetween forthe passage of certain" of the guidevmembers which as before` stated, may be in the form of shoes, rollers or'80 slides. The body portion 10 ofthe head struc,- ture includestransverse portions ,2g that are rigid with the head structure and arestruckv therefrom as at 25 and the same are spotwelded or' otherwisesecured to the vertical strap 122. The grooved portion of the trackway,shown in Fig. 2, is continued throughout the length of the curves 11 and12 and thecurve 11 terminates in an inwardly directed portion 26 thatserves as a stop preventing the folded doors from mov- Platelo isapertured as at 27 and supports'a pivot 28 which supports an arm 29Ythat isnrigid n with a combination track and switch having-the`depending portion 30 and the upper portion 31.

Normally thismember is positioned so'thatthe, 100

guide member bearing upon portion 12 will `pass -beneath the lower endof the member 3,0 andV travel along the portion 11 and will then engagethe portion 31 to tilt the switch track into the full line positionshown so that the second guide vmember passing along section 12willengage the end of themember 30 andride Vuponthe inside ofthe member 30in the continued upward movement of the second guide member.

As shown'in Fig; 1, the back portion of 'the no f vertical portion ofthe track is relieved and there the inclination 36 which is merged withav'portion As shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, :Whena different sizedoor, that is a door of die'rent width, is employed, membersfofslightly-.different formation and dimensions are substitutedk for thosepreviously set forth. The head struc-V ture includes anadditional'opning 127, in which is then mounted the pivot 123,supporting arm 129, in turn supporting the switch track member 131 and130. As shown in Fig. l, the switch track` member 130 includes anextension 1300L.

When the substituted switch track is mounted upon the head structure,there is substituted for the'member 33,\anoth`er member of similarformation but having a different forward'outline,

' to wit, the same isprovided with the upwardly and V'forwardly inclinedportion 136l and an inwardly and upwardly curved portion 137.r` Thesesubstituted parts are utilized together and replace the beforementionedparts 36 and 37 which are also used together.

The head structure, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, has outlined from itaplurality of pairs of ears asf'atiiQ, 41, I42 and 43. Eachof these isapertured as vat 44 and the vhead is apertured as at 45 and 45, thelatter beingacontinuations of the severances 42 and 41, andthe'samebeing'connected together so thatwhen the ears outlined at fil),41,- 42 and 43k .are turnedl outwardly and at180 degrees to the portions24, they forma Yfour bearing support for the pulley shaft, and all theholes 440i? the four ears are in alignment. Also with thisformation,th`ere is formed anvenlarged opening that is shown dotted asat and-through which the'pulley when mounted projects. This pulleyaccommodates the cable or other ex-ible connection between'the coun'-terbalancing means andthe lower Y'door section.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 3 and 4. this lmodified vform of theinvention, the sheet metal headi structure l0 has nformed integraltherewith the portion 33 and it is also formed with having an outline asindicated at 137, all of the aforesaid being integral. Theportion33, ormore specifically that portion included and defined by theV portions 35,37 and l37-,is suitably apertured and when a lower socket, such asindicated at' 37, must be employed, then the additional member 250is'associated therewith and secured as at 2751 so that the verticalportion 235 forms an extension downwardly of the portion`35'and thecurvedV portion 237 merges with the portion 36 and is the equivalent ofthe portionfindicated at 37 `in Fig. 1f Preferably the aforesaid headstructure is of sheet metal and of suitable thicknesspf stock for' the`Ipurpose set forth. The two interchangeable inserts maybe castings orstampings'. The supplemental' members shofwn vin Figs. 3 and 4 ispreferably a casting. ,y Y

The invention claimed is:-`

1. Ahead bracket for a folding sectional door including a substantiallytriangular plate body gjupper endy in Varfcirwardly directed .curved.socket forming portion, another and similarly projecting track portionsubstantially parallel to the other track portion and including aforwardly and upwardly directed curved portion merging with said socketand rigidly secured tothe plate body-and terminating at its lower endshort of thefirst mentioned track portion termination, a guide confininghypotenuse rear edge on the body comprising a pair of reverse curves ofrelatively vlarge radius, the lower end of the lower curve terminatingin parallel relation to the front track portionV and in alignment withthe second mentioned `and spaced parallel track portion providing a 'gaptherebetween for guide passage, and a combination switch and track-pivotally supported upon the plate body and arranged to initiallypermit the passage of a guide member there- 1 beneath, ithe upperportion of the switch being engageableby the guide member and tiltablerthereby for positioning the lower end of the switch adjacent the backtrack edge for switching purposes, the switch being automaticallytiltable by the first mentioned guide member in the movement thereof.

2. A head bracket for a folding sectional door including'a substantiallytriangular plate body portion, a forwardly positioned outwardlyprojecting flange forming a track terminating at itsupper end 'in aforwardly directed curved socket forming portion, another and similarlyvprojecting track portion substantially parallel to the other trackportion and including a forwardly and upwardly directed curved portionmerging with said socket and rigidly secured to the plate body andterminating at its lower end short oftherst mentioned trackportionftermination, a guide confining hypotenuse rear edge `on the bodycomprising a pair of reverse curves of relatively large radius', thelower end of the lower curve terminating -in parallel relationto thefront track portion'andin alignment with the second mentioned and spacedparallel track portionA providing a gap therebetween for guide passage,a combination switch and track pivotally supported upon the plate bodyand ari ranged to initially, permit the'pass'age `of a guide membertherebeneath, the upper portion of the switch being engageable by theguide member and tiltable thereby for positioning the lower end of .theswitchy adjacent the back track edge 3. Ahead bracket for a foldingsectional door including a substantially triangular plate body j-;

portion, a forwardlyv positioned outwardly projecting flange forming atrack terminating at its upper end in a forwardly directed curved socketforming portion, another and similarly projecting track portionsubstantially parallel to the j' r other track .portion and including aforwardly and upwardly directed curved portion merging with said socketand rigidly secured to the plate.

body and terminating at its lower endshort of therst mentioned'trackportion termination, a guide confining hypotenuse rear edge on the bodycomprising apair of reverse curves of relatively large radius, the lowerYend of the lower curve terminating in parallel relation tothe fronttrack portion and in alignment with the ISL ' switch adje-c secondmentioned andspaced parallel track .por-

tion providing aV gap therebetween for guide passage, a .combinationswitch and trackpivotally supported upon the plate body and arranged toinitially :permit the passage of a guide member therebeneath, the upperportion-of theswitch` being engageable by the guide meinbervand tiltablethereby for positioning the lower end of the nt the-back track edge forswitching purposes, ine switch being automatically tiltable by movementthereof, anda plurality of spaced ears extending from sitely; from theforward track-portion, said body portion including an aperture adjacentthe ears for pulley reception, the pulley being mounted in said ears,said earsbeing simultaneously-,formed with the aperture and beingintegral with the plate body.

lil-l. head bracket for including a substantiallyy triangularY platebody portion, a forwardly positioned outwardly projecting nange forming`a track terminating at its upper -end in a forwardly directed curvedsocketV .ming portion, another-and similarly projecttrack portionsubstantially parallel to the y nist mentioned track portiontermination, a guide Vconfining hypotenuse rear edge on the bodycomprising a pair of reverse curves ofv relatively large radius,-thelower end of the lower curve terminating in parallel relation to thefront vtrack portion and in alignment with` the second inen: ioned andspaced parallel track portion providing a gap therebetween for guidepassage, a.

. switch adjacent the back track edge for switch- 'ing purposes, theswitch being automatically tiltplate body, and an additional pair ofears integral with the body and similarly positioned at each of the nrstmentioned pair of ears and axially aligned therewith for multiplebearing support purposes. l

5. A head bracket for a folding sectional door Vincluding a:substantially triangular plate body portion, a forwardly positionedoutwardly proiecting flange forming a track terminating at its upper endin forwardly directed curved socket forming portion, another andsimilarly projecting track portion substantially parallel to the othertrack portion and ncluding a forwardly and upwardly directed curvedportion merging with socket and rigidly secured to the plate body iterminating at its lower end short of the first men" ioned track portiontermination, a guide connning hypotenuse rear edge on the bodyconiprising a pair of reverse curves of relatively large radius, thelower end of the lower curve terminating in parallel relation tothefront track porthe first mentioned guide member inthe the plate bodyportion and oppoa folding sectional door track portion and including aforwardlyA projecting track portion subs to theother track portionandincluuingqa for-- wardly and upwardly directed curved `portion`merging Vwith socket and rigidly secured tov tion and irl-alignment withthesecond mentioned and spaced yparallel track portion providing a gaptherebetween for guide passage, and a cornbination switch and trackpivotally supported upon the plate body'and arranged to initially permitthe passage of a guide nieinber therebeneath, the upper portion of theswitch being engageable by thejguide member and tiltablofthereby forpositioning the lower end ofthe switch adjacent the track'edge forswitching purposes-the switch being automatically tiltable by the lirstmentioned guide member in the'inoveinent therecf; said first mentionedforward track portion including a forward offset beneath 'the socket andforming a second socket therebeneath.'

6. fl device of character defined by claim 5, characterized by the platebody portion land forward tra l; portion being relieved and the secondmentioned'socketv forming portion constituting an adapter insertlsecuredto and sup-v portion, a forwardly-positioned outwardiy;'pro- 'r jeotingforming aftracky terminating 4at its. endjin-a forwardly directed curvedsocketv forming portion, another and siniilarly `ntiallv` parallel theAplatebody,and terminatingat its lowerv end short of `the iirstmentioned trackportion termination, a guide confining hypotenuserearedge on'the body comprising a pair of reverse curvesl of relativelylarge.rad-ius, vthe lower end ofi the lower curyeterminatingin parallelrelation to the front track portion and in'al-igninent with the secondmentioned and'spr-iced` parallel track portion providing a gaptherebetween for guide passage, a combination switch and track pivotallysupported upon the plate body and arranged to initially permit* thepassage of a guide member -rnoveinent thereof, said first mentionedforward track portion including a second socket beneath the rst socketand in alignment therewith, and

an adapter insert which when mounted lowers the topA portion of saidsecond mentioned socket for the purpose set forth'.` j

8. A head bracket for a'folding sectional door including a substantiallytriangular plate body portion, a forwardly positioned outwardlyprojecting flange forming a track terminating at its upper end in aforwardly directed curved socket forming portion, another and similarlyprojecting track portion substan ally parallel to the other trackportion and including a forwardly and upwardly directed. curved portionmerging with said socket and rigidly secured to the plate body andterminating at its lower end short of the first mentioned track portiontermination, a gui-de conning hypotenuse rear edge on the bodyYcornparallel relation to the front track pornation switch and trackpivotally supported upon the plate body and arranged to initially permitthe passage yof a guide member therebeneath, the upper portion of theswitch being engageable by the guide member and tiltable thereby forpositioning the lower end of the switch adjacent the back track edge forswitching purposes, the switch being automatically tiltable by the iirstmentioned guide member in the movement thereof, said body portionincluding a plurality of mountings for varying the position of thepivotal support for the support of the combination switch member, saidswitch track member being of predetermined conformation for theparticular door size, said forward track portion including aninterruption, and a socket forming adapter operatively associated withthe interruption for closing the sameand forming a second socket in theforward track portion, said adapt-er having a conformation specific tothe selected size of door, said conformation of the adapter and a switchcooperating each with the other for door operation. y

9. A head bracket for a folding sectional door including a substantiallytriangular plate body portion', a forwardly positioned outwardlyprojecting flange forming a track 'terminating at its upper end in aforwardly directed curved socket forming portion, another and similarly'projecting track portion substantially parallel to the other trackportion and including a forwardly and upwardly directed curved portionmerging with said socket and rigidly secured to the plate body andterminating at its lower end short of 'the first mentioned track portiontermination, a

guide confining hypotenuse rear edge on the body comprising a pair ofreverse curves'of relatively large radius, the lower end of the lowercurve terminating in parallel relation to the front track portion and inalignment with the second mentioned and spaced parallel track portionproviding a gap therebetween for guide passage, a combination switch andtrack pvotally supported upon the plate body and arranged to initiallypermit the passage of a guide member therebeneath, the upper portion ofthe switch being engageable by the guide member and tiltable thereby forpositioning the lowervend of the switch adjacent the back track edge forswitching purposes, the switch being automatically tiltable by the rstmentioned guide member in the movement thereof, said body portionincluding a plurality of mountingsfor varying the position of thepivotal support for' the support of the combination switch member, saidswitch track member being of predetermined conformation for theparticular door size, said forwardtrack portion including aninterruption, a socket forming adapter operatively associated with theinterruption for closing the same andforming a second socket in theforward track portion, said adapter having a conformation specific tothe selectedv size of door, 4said conformation of the adapter and aswitch cooperating each with the other for door operation, a pluralityof spaced ears extending from the plate body portion and oppositely fromthe forward track portion, said body portion including an apertureadjacent the ears for pulley reception, the pulley being mounted in saidears, said ears being simultaneously formed with the aperture and beingintegral with the plate'body, and an additional pair of ears integralwith the body and similarly positioned' at each side of the rstmentioned pair of ears and axially aligned therewith for multiplebearing support purposes.

' CHARLES C. GILL. l VERNE L. JULIAN.

JOHN W. MCILWRAITH. CHARLES F. RUTLEDGE.

